Search results for "polymer"

A-6G polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene and body weight changes in essential hypertension: a prospective study

2001

Controlled Ovarian Stimulation Induces a Functional Genomic Delay of the Endometrium with Potential Clinical Implications

2008

Context: Controlled ovarian stimulation induces morphological, biochemical, and functional genomic modifications of the human endometrium during the window of implantation. Objective: Our objective was to compare the gene expression profile of the human endometrium in natural vs. controlled ovarian stimulation cycles throughout the early-mid secretory transition using microarray technology. Method: Microarray data from 49 endometrial biopsies obtained from LH+1 to LH+9 (n = 25) in natural cycles and from human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) +1 to hCG+9 in controlled ovarian stimulation cycles (n = 24) were analyzed using different methods, such as clustering, profiling of biological processes…

Atrial natriuretic peptide secretion during development of the rat supraoptic nucleus

2009

Since a relationship between atrial natriuretic peptide and oxytocin was recently demonstrated in the heart (Gutkowska et al., 1997), the aim of this study was to determine whether a relationship between the two peptides is present also in the rat hypothalamus. For this purpose, we measured ANP-ontogeny in the rat hypothalamus immunohistochemically and compared it with oxytocin-ontogeny which we previously studied. The results showed that the ANP-peptide and mRNA-ANP start at the 18th day of the fetal life. Our earlier data for oxytocin in the rat hypothalamus showed that only mRNA-oxytocin appeared the 18th day of foetal life (Farina Lipari et al., 2001); thus, at the 18th day of foetal li…

Phosphodiesterase10A: abundance and circadian regulation in the retina and photoreceptor of the rat.

2011

Phosphodiesterase10A (PDE10A) is a dual specific cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase that is specifically enriched in striatum and which has gained attention as a therapeutic target for psychiatric disorders. The present study shows that PDE10A is also highly expressed in retinal neurons including photoreceptors. The levels of PDE10A transcript and protein display daily rhythms which could be seen in preparations of the whole retina. Corresponding changes in PDE10A mRNA were seen in photoreceptors isolated using laser microdissection. This suggests that the expressional control of the photoreceptor Pde10a gene contributes to the observed cyclicity in the amount of retinal PDE10A. The daily …

Human antiphospholipid antibodies induce TNFα in monocytes via Toll-like receptor 8

2009

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by recurrent arterial and/or venous thromboses, pregnancy loss and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). One of the discussed mechanisms of this thrombotic activity in APS patients is attributed to TNFalpha secretion in monocytes after aPL stimulation. To investigate this mechanism in detail, we employed a monoclonal aPL and IgG fractions of APS patients for stimulation of human peripheral monocytes. Stimulation with this monoclonal aPL resulted in an increased expression and secretion of TNFalpha, caused by specific upregulation of TLR8 mRNA and protein expression levels. To confirm the specificity of this finding we could d…

Estrogen receptor agonists and immune system in ovariectomized mice.

2006

Several data implicate the immune system in bone lost after estrogen deficiency, however, some of the effects on the immune system of estrogen deficiency or of estrogen receptor (ER) modulation are not well established. In this study, the effect of ER agonists on the immune system in ovariectomized mice is analyzed. Mice were ovariectomized and were administered 17β-estradiol (E2), raloxifene (RAL) or genistein (GEN). The effect of a 4-week treatment on bone turnover and on several parameters that reflect the status of the immune system was studied. Results show that ovariectomy provoked both uterine atrophy and thymic hypertrophy. Although RAL corrected thymic hypertrophy, only E2 correct…

Activation of mGlu3 Receptors Stimulates the Production of GDNF in Striatal Neurons

2009

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors have been considered potential targets for the therapy of experimental parkinsonism. One hypothetical advantage associated with the use of mGlu receptor ligands is the lack of the adverse effects typically induced by ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists, such as sedation, ataxia, and severe learning impairment. Low doses of the mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, LY379268 (0.25-3 mg/kg, i.p.) increased glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA and protein levels in the mouse brain, as assessed by in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. This increase was prominent in the striatum, …

Cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary endothelial dysfunction is partially suppressed by sildenafil.

2009

Abstract Cigarette smoke mediated oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction are important processes in the pathogenesis of several lung disorders. In this study we evaluated the effect of PDE5 inhibition on pulmonary artery endothelial dysfunction induced by cigarette smoke in vitro . Human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAEC) were incubated in the absence or presence of PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil (10 nM–1 μM), PKG agonist 8-Br-cGMP (1 mM), or the antioxidants dyphenyleneiodonium (DPI 1 μM) and N -acetylcysteine (NAC 1 mM) for 30 min. Then, cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was added for 24 h. CSE (2.5–10%)-induced ROS generation was suppressed by DPI, and partially reversed by sildenaf…

Metalloprotease meprin beta generates nontoxic N-terminal amyloid precursor protein fragments in vivo.

2011

Identification of physiologically relevant substrates is still the most challenging part in protease research for understanding the biological activity of these enzymes. The zinc-dependent metalloprotease meprin β is known to be expressed in many tissues with functions in health and disease. Here, we demonstrate unique interactions between meprin β and the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Although APP is intensively studied as a ubiquitously expressed cell surface protein, which is involved in Alzheimer disease, its precise physiological role and relevance remain elusive. Based on a novel proteomics technique termed terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates (TAILS), APP was identified …

Novel Combination of Sorafenib and Celecoxib Provides Synergistic Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Effects in Human Liver Cancer Cells

2013

Molecular targeted therapy has shown promise as a treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, recently received FDA approval for the treatment of advanced HCC. However, although sorafenib is well tolerated, concern for its safety has been expressed. Celecoxib (Celebrex®) is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor which exhibits antitumor effects in human HCC cells. The present study examined the interaction between celecoxib and sorafenib in two human liver tumor cell lines HepG2 and Huh7. Our data showed that each inhibitor alone reduced cell growth and the combination of celecoxib with sorafenib synergistically inhibited cell growth an…